Scottish Executive

Art

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of its expenditure on capital projects is spent on commissioning art works.

Mr Tom McCabe: There is no predetermined percentage allocated on the commissioning of art work for capital projects. Expenditure on art is decided on a case-by-case basis.

Civil Servants

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage gender breakdown was for (a) all applicants and (b) successful candidates for posts (i) in the senior civil service and (ii) at band C (formerly grade 7) in the Executive and the former Scottish Office in each year since 1 January 1994.

Mr Tom McCabe: The table below gives the percentage gender breakdown for recruitment for (a) all applicants and (b) successful candidates for posts (i) in the senior civil service and (ii) at band C (formerly grade 7) in the Executive in each year since 1 January 1999. Information prior to this date is not held.

  Band C

  

Year
Applications
Successful Candidates


% Male
% Female
% Male
% Female


1999
55
45
45
55


2000
63
37
41
59


2001
63
37
45
55


2002
60
40
46
54


2003
59
41
44
56


2004
57
43
67
33



  SCS

  

Year
Applications
Successful Candidates


% Male
% Female
% Male
% Female


1999
58
42
83
17


2000
79
21
55
45


2001
76
24
29
71


2002
74
26
71
29


2003
73
27
50
50


2004
80
20
50
50

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its civil servants have been seconded to Partnerships UK.

Mr Tom McCabe: No Scottish Executive civil servants have been seconded to Partnerships UK.

Drug Misuse

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether proposed changes to the shared care scheme for drug users in Glasgow comply with the legislation relating to the change of an NHS service.

Hugh Henry: It is for local health authorities to check on such issues. However, a one year agreement on the funding of these services has already been reached, and current service users would be consulted on any future changes beyond that period.

Ferry Services

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Forth Ports plc on developing a new ferry link from Rosyth to Scandinavia or Germany.

Nicol Stephen: There are on-going discussions between the Scottish Executive and Forth Ports plc on a range of matters, including the commitment to improve Scottish ferry links to Europe which was set out in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Ferry Services

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding from capital grants and the revenue support grant is available to support new ferry routes from Rosyth to continental Europe.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-3444 on 11 November 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8206 by Cathy Jamieson on 25 May 2004, when it will complete its consideration of the response to the consultation and deliver its commitment to establish a Scottish human rights commission.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive remains committed to establishment of a human rights commission for Scotland. Consideration of the responses to the consultation is under way, and will be completed as soon as possible.

Meat Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its proposals regarding a beef national envelope were supported by the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW), and/or Quality Meat Scotland (QMS); if so, whether the Executive asked SAMW and/or QMS whether their support followed any form of consultation of their members and, if it did not so ask, whether it was aware that there had not been such consultation; if so, whether it will recommend that there should be such consultation and, if so, or in the event that SAMW and/or QMS carry out such a consultation, whether the Executive will take account of its outcome by amending its proposals prior to their introduction on 1 January 2005.

Ross Finnie: Copies of responses from the SAMW and QMS to the main CAP Reform consultation, which included a question on use of the national envelope, are available from the Scottish Executive library. A summary of all the responses to that consultation is also on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk . SAMW and QMS were among a number of stakeholders represented on the group that was set up to discuss the envelope. Membership consultation is purely a matter for each individual organisation to decide. The Executive has no intention of amending the decision to have a national envelope in the beef sector.

NHS Funding

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which operating divisions of NHS Lothian did not meet the budget they were set for 2003-04 and what the level of overspend was in each case.

Mr Andy Kerr: Before 31 March 2004 "operating division"   was generally analogous with NHS trust. Information on the outturn of Lothian NHS Trusts and NHS board for 2003-04 is a matter of public record and the following information has been taken from the annual accounts.

  Underspend

  

 
2003-04
(£ Million1)


Lothian NHS Board
13,207


Lothian Primary Care NHS Trust
0


West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust
0



  Note: 1. Against Revenue Resource Limit.

  Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust was dissolved on 31 December 2003 with an overspend against revenue resource of £8,245,000. This overcommitment is included in Lothian NHS Board’s year-end position.

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9905 by Malcolm Chisholm on 9 September 2004, whether it will provide equivalent figures for the five years prior to 1998.

Mr Andy Kerr: Specialty definitions in Scotland were revised from 1 April 1997. As a result directly comparable information prior to 1997-98 is not available.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1351 by Tavish Scott on 29 July 2003, why it reimbursed (a) Midlothian Council’s and (b) East Lothian Council’s fees for Partnerships UK.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1351 by Tavish Scott on 29 July 2003, what role was played by Partnerships UK in the PPP projects for schools in the (a) Midlothian Council and (b) East Lothian Council area.

Mr Tom McCabe: Both Midlothian and East Lothian Councils’ schools PPP projects were regarded as pathfinder projects as they were the early projects in the development of the current £2.5 billion schools PPP programme. Partnerships UK provided specialist advice and expertise in support of these projects and their involvement was beneficial to other local authorities taking forward future PPP proposals for schools. Specifically, expertise was gained on many management interface and commercial issues, and the Scottish Schools Standard PPP Contract was developed.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1351 by Tavish Scott on 29 July 2003, whether Partnerships UK has repaid any of the fees paid by, or incurred any financial penalty repayable to, the Executive in relation to its work in the (a) Midlothian Council and (b) East Lothian Council area.

Mr Tom McCabe: We are not aware of any basis for the Executive to seek reimbursement of fees from Partnerships UK in relation to its work in the Midlothian and Easy Lothian Councils’ areas.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1351 by Tavish Scott on 29 July 2003, how much it has paid to Partnerships UK since July 2003, broken down by project.

Mr Tom McCabe: The following table shows how much the Scottish Executive has paid to Partnerships UK since July 2003.

  

Year
Amount (£)
Reason


2003
10,652
Carrying out Key Stage Reviews on schools PPP projects prior to issue of Invitation to Negotiate / appointment of Preferred Bidder


2004
84,122
Carrying out Key Stage Reviews on schools PPP projects prior to issue of Invitation to Negotiate / appointment of Preferred Bidder


2004
176,250
Support for development of Non Profit Distributing Organisation model and piloting in Argyll and Bute schools


2004
16,391
Support for East Lothian Council following one of the members of the PPP consortia being placed in administration


2004
13,113
Supporting the Partnership Agreement commitment to end the toll regime on Skye Bridge


2004
4,110
Work carried out on Inverness Airport


2004
14,151
Development of a new stage of Key Stage Review for PPP schools which focuses on systems in place when the project becomes operational. Also training on Outline Business Cases for local authority project managers

Rail Network

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers the national transport agency will have to terminate the Scottish passenger franchise in the event of the franchise being unable to meet its financial commitments.

Nicol Stephen: Currently the contractual aspects of the Scottish passenger rail franchise are administered by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on behalf of and under direction from the Scottish ministers. The recent UK Government White Paper, the Future of Rail , announced the intended abolition of the SRA and that the direct management of the franchise will in future fall to the Scottish ministers.

  Under the terms of the contract, the franchisee's failure to meet financial commitments in three respects can lead ultimately to termination of the franchise:

  1. by a failure to keep the ratio of revenue to costs at or above the contracted level;

  2. by becoming insolvent, or by non-payment to SRA or Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive of any sum owed to them, and

  3. by breaching, to a material extent, any of the other provisions of the franchise which relate to financial elements of the agreement, for example, collection of fares at stations and on trains.

  In the event of any of the above occurring, the SRA, acting under direction from the Scottish ministers, can either issue a termination notice and terminate the franchise, or require the franchisee to remedy the breach.

Rail Network

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent progress has been made on the Aberdeen Crossrail Project.

Nicol Stephen: The development of the Aberdeen Crossrail proposal is being led by Aberdeenshire Council, in partnership with Aberdeen City Council. I understand that a full appraisal of the proposal is currently being prepared in accordance with the Scottish Executive’s Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance. I understand that the project steering group last met on Monday 27 September.

  In addition, under the terms of the new franchise, First ScotRail are contracted to deliver a partial Aberdeen crossrail project, through strengthened local services in and around the Aberdeen area. This includes the provision of additional stops at Portlethen, an extension of further existing Aberdeen to Inverness route trains to start/terminate at Stonehaven and an extension of a Glasgow to Aberdeen service through to Inverurie.

Rail Network

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reopen urban and suburban railway stations in Aberdeen.

Nicol Stephen: Proposals to re-open stations are best promoted, in the first instance, by the relevant local authority or regional transport partnership. NESTRANS are currently in the process of developing plans for an Aberdeen Crossrail project which include the creation of new stations at Kintore, Newtonhill and in Aberdeen.

Rail Network

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-6813 by Nicol Stephen on 5 April 2004, what (a) track and signalling and (b) station incremental output statements have been funded in part by the Executive in each year since the inception of the Strategic Rail Authority's Incremental Output Statement programme, showing in each case what amount, and what percentage of each scheme cost, was, or is, being funded directly by it.

Nicol Stephen: In January 2002 the Strategic Rail Authority set out a number of enhancements across the GB rail network which could be supported through their Incremental Output Statement programme.

  The Scottish Executive jointly funded a package of platform lengthening works in Scotland in 2003 which comprised the following Incremental Output Statement schemes:

  East Kilbride to Glasgow Central platform extensions to allow six-railcar working;

  Edinburgh Waverly to Bathgate platform extensions to allow six-railcar working, and

  Fife Circle platform extensions to allow six-railcar working.

  The total works, including additional platform extension works between Edinburgh Waverley to Dunblane, is around £14 million. The Scottish Executive is providing £5.9 million of funding, which is 42% of the total costs. The Scottish Executive has not funded any incremental output statements.

Rape

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8226 by Susan Deacon on 18 January 2001, what information and publicity materials are given to young people to alert them to the dangers of drug-assisted sexual assault and rape and where such material is made publicly available.

Hugh Henry: The Executive is currently running an awareness campaign on Drug Assisted Sexual Assault through its Know the Score communications strategy. The campaign is supported by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland.

  This campaign – Who’s Keeping An Eye On Your Drink? – was prompted by increased police and public concern about the problem of drug assisted sexual assault. The first phase of the campaign ran over Christmas and New Year. Posters were displayed in licensed premises across Scotland and leaflets were distributed in town and city centre pubs and clubs.

  An educational cd:rom, video and drink cover/straw holder have now been developed to take forward the campaign and these will be made available shortly through the Know the Score information line 0800 587 5879 and website (www.knowthescore.info). Posters and leaflets also remain available.

Roads

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent any link has been established between the building of additional roads and bridges and increased car use.

Nicol Stephen: This issue was addressed in the 1994 report by the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment: Trunk Roads and the Generation of Traffic . A copy of the report is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre – Bib number 33938.

Scottish Executive Finance

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its (a) income and (b) expenditure was in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) department and (ii) source of funding.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is available in the Executive’s accounts for the years concerned, copies of which are available on the Executive’s website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/recent.aspx.

Scottish Executive Finance

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its projected (a) income and (b) expenditure is for each of the next four years, broken down by (i) department and (ii) source of funding.

Mr Tom McCabe: Our Spending Plans for the period out to 2007-08 are set out in Building a Better Scotland – Enterprise, Opportunity and Fairness , published on 29 September, and copies of which are available at www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/enterprise/babs-00.asp . More detailed information will be published in the Draft Budget 2005-06 shortly.

  Detailed information on income for 2004-05 is available in the supporting document to the Budget Act 2005, copies of which are available at www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/finance/sdb05-00.asp. Detailed forecasts of receipts for future years will be published in supporting documents to the relevant Budget Bills in due course.

Teachers

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools (a) operate with fewer teachers than required to ensure that every class is led by a qualified teacher, (b) rely on supply teachers to ensure that classes and courses are not cancelled and (c) are experiencing problems recruiting and retaining (i) full-time and (ii) supply teachers; what the reasons are for any such shortages, and what action it is taking to address these issues.

Peter Peacock: The information requested is not held centrally. The employment and deployment of teachers in publicly funded schools is a matter for local authorities (LAs).

  To teach in a LA school a teacher must be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland, the professional body for maintaining standards in the teaching profession in Scotland. To do so they must satisfy the council’s requirements with regards to academic qualifications, professional training and relevant experience.

  All schools are likely to rely on supply teachers to some extent to ensure the maintenance of educational provision for pupils when teachers are absent from their normal duties.

  The Scottish Executive carries out an annual teacher workforce planning exercise to ensure at a national level there are adequate numbers of teachers for publicly funded schools. From time to time in particular secondary subjects local supply and demand may not always be perfectly matched. As part of the teacher workforce planning exercise to help improve the position, subjects are prioritised for intake to initial teacher education courses with Higher Education Institutions having flexibility to adjust priorities to meet local demand. An element for supply teachers included in the teacher work planning exercise increased in 2004 from 5% to an allowance of 7% in primary education and 6% in secondary.

  Information on teacher vacancies by LA is contained in a set of tables Full-time Equivalent Teacher Vacancies in Schools a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 32903).

Transport

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for introducing legislation to establish the national transport agency.

Nicol Stephen: The national transport agency will be an executive agency within the Scottish Executive exercising functions delegated to it by Scottish ministers. The establishment of the national transport agency does not therefore require legislation. The agency will be established during the year 2005-06.

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how licenses for the control of sparrow-hawks under the Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981 can be applied for.

Lewis Macdonald: A written application must be submitted to the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department enclosing all the information required for the licensing to demonstrate compliance with Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Council Directive 79/409/EEC – Conservation of Wild Birds.